OK, my turn. I NEVER use any of the following words unless I mean them: Good Great Excellent Awesome God-like Well, you get the idea. If I like the whole image, or just part, I may say so, I may not. If I think it sucks, I will not say so. I comment only to be supportive or constructive or because the work MOVES me. That being said, I agree with you (drac) about the postings in the Galleries. I would even say it is probably closer to 99 % crap (in certain galleries). Even my own work. But it's that one percent that keeps me going. :^) By all means if we have a suggestion that will help someone build the chops necessary to make good digital art, then tell them. But do it NICELY, the way you would like others to help you. squeeka, you've put the newbie point of view very well, I can still remember how it feels. Play nice, have fun. And think about it like this. When camcorders came out, so many people began to videotape their children. How many of those tapes would be of interest to anyone outside (or even inside) the immediate family? Now substitute "Bryce" for "camcorders" and "make digital art" for "videotape their children". Most of the work you see at Renderosity is amateurish because most of us are amateurs. Most of it looks like the work of beginners because most of us are beginners. The early work of AgentSmith, Rochr and others does not look like their current work for a reason. We all need practice to grow. Even people who were born with talent.

This is not my "second childhood". I'm not finished with the first one yet.

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

"I'd like to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather....not screaming in terror like the passengers on his bus." - Jack Handy